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  #1  
Old May 07, 2010, 11:36 AM
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Since

Wy "since" instead of "from" in this sentence?:

I had been living there since 1980, but he told me my mother wanted me to go back home.

I think that the action is finished.

Thanks.
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  #2  
Old May 07, 2010, 11:49 AM
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Usualmente se dice "since" cuando hablar del hecho o año

We´ve been making whiskey since 1670

Traducido literalmente del español , desde me parece más cerca de " From",

No sé si "from 1980" es incorrecto pero me suena muy raro
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  #3  
Old May 07, 2010, 11:53 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
Wy "since" instead of "from" in this sentence?:

I had been living there since 1980, but he told me my mother wanted me to go back home.

I think that the action is finished.

Thanks.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/since

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/from

Esto te va a gustar (me imagino)
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  #4  
Old May 07, 2010, 11:56 AM
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But an example in my book is:

I was a vegetarian from 1982.
I have been a vegetarian since 1982.

In Spanish: Fui vegetariana/he sido vegetariana desde 1982.

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  #5  
Old May 07, 2010, 11:57 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
Wy "since" instead of "from" in this sentence?:

I had been living there since 1980, but he told me my mother wanted me to go back home.

I think that the action is finished.

Thanks.
Yes, the action is finished, but you are using the pluperfect, so in the past action, it was continuous. I'm afraid English is out of line here, and since is correct even though illogical, with no explanation to offer.

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Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
But an example in my book is:

I was a vegetarian from 1982.
I have been a vegetarian since 1982.

In Spanish: Fui vegetariana/he sido vegetariana desde 1982.

"I was a vegetarian from 1982" makes no sense to me taken on its own.

I have been a vegetarian since 1982 = and I still am.

Last edited by AngelicaDeAlquezar; May 07, 2010 at 01:45 PM. Reason: Merged back-to-back posts
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Old May 07, 2010, 12:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
But an example in my book is:

I was a vegetarian from 1982.
I have been a vegetarian since 1982.

In Spanish: Fui vegetariana/he sido vegetariana desde 1982.

I guess it can be said in both way, but since it is normally or more used when talking about distance in time and from for longitudinal distance.
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  #7  
Old May 07, 2010, 12:16 PM
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I was a vegetarian from 1982 on (or "and I still am).
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Old May 07, 2010, 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by hermit View Post
I was a vegetarian from 1982 on (or "and I still am).
That almost sounds like an unfinished sentence.

I was a vegetarian from 1982 on ........?? needs further information

I have been a vegetarian since 1982..... sounds final


I may be wrong but this is how it sounds to me.
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Old May 07, 2010, 12:20 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Perikles View Post
Yes, the action is finished, but you are using the pluperfect, so in the past action, it was continuous. I'm afraid English is out of line here, and since is correct even though illogical, with no explanation to offer.
I had lived there since 1978, ...
I had lived there from 1978 to 1980, ...
I had been living there since 1978, ...
I had been living there from 1978 to 1980, ...

No me parece ilógico. La lógica parece ser que si dices "from" tienes que decir hasta cuando. Además, si el verbo es continuo, no puedes decirlo (el último ejemplo).

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  #10  
Old May 07, 2010, 12:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Elaina View Post
That almost sounds like an unfinished sentence.

I was a vegetarian from 1982 on ........?? needs further information

I have been a vegetarian since 1982..... sounds final


I may be wrong but this is how it sounds to me.
I was a vegetarian from 1982 until now. I will start eating meat again.

I was a vegetarian from 1982 to 1985.
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